Swapped in my Audio Technica VM750SH to see what a $500 MM sounds like on my second system. Always good to recalibrate one’s sonic apparatus. Played 3 albums. Switched back to the resident, rebuilt Decca Maroon. No comparison. The Decca trounced the AT. I can’t imagine being stuck at that lower level of audio non-enjoyment!
Still looking for a new Moving Coil Cartridge
I noticed that Music Direct has 20% off cartridge sale on select cartridges. I am still using a ZU/Denon DL103 MC cartridge Series 1 with the cartridges tightest tolerances. I purchased it here from “Audiofiel” back in 2010 and have used it sparingly since. I had been using a Dynavector DV20XL cartridge which I bought a couple of years ago but my 6 yo nephew destroyed it (that’s another story) so I am back to the ZU/Denon.
My table is a Technics SL1200G which I truly love. I have been looking at the Hana Low out put MC cartridges. I am interested in the low output “S” series as the $600.00 price is right where I want to be. Now, the million dollar questions: I listen to 95% 60’s, 70’s and 80’s Rock and want whatever cartridge I purchase to make the records sound good without excessive surface noise. Will the Hana S be up to the task? My Mac C2500 tube preamp has cartridge loading from 50 ohms up to 1000 ohms so I should be ok. I just want to be sure this cartridge will be very musical and full bodied sound. I do no want a thin sound. So there you have it, yay or neigh?
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So many options; For MC, I went with a Hana SH (high output) into the MM port of my McIntosh MA352. It was in replacement of an Ortofon 2M Black. Similar in price but the Hana is such a noticeable improvement. The Hana is so much more forgiving on less than perfect vinyl than the 2M Black. The details, rich bass and warm sound are all much better. My local audio place that set up my turntable was pushing Hana even before when I went with the 2M Black and now I see why. |
OP, I don't mean to insult you, but I am suspecting you are NOT buying those LP's new. More than likely, even if bought new by you (as so many of mine were), they were played with conical and elliptical stylus, and 'stuff' got pressed deep down in the grooves, now to be found by modern 'deep groove' stylus shapes. My friend has a ultrasonic cleaner he loves, but it does not clean my old lps as well as my vigorous scrub method does. I don't know why, but they play quieter after my method. IF a cartridge can play a noisy LP more quietly than another cartridge, I don't want it, what else is missing along with the noise? A great cartridge can kick ass on any type of music. Speakers 'best for rock' were crap. |
There are far too many variables from one cartridge to another to enable one to say that a stiffer cantilever, per se, makes for better bass. One way to get relevant data would be to buy two samples of the same cartridge, both bearing what you deem to be a "flexible" cantilever. Then send one sample off to one of the re-tippers and have him install a cantilever that you deem to be stiffer, but with the same stylus if possible or at least the same stylus shape. Then listen and take measurements. |
To explore 'stiffer cantilever/better bass', I bought a Sumiko Talisman S, Line Contact on Sapphire Tube 30dB at 1kHz. Channel balance: 0.5dB, tracking force: 2gm https://www.stereophile.com/content/talisman-s-mc-phono-cartridge Overall, I actually like it as much as my AT, and who knows if I hear what I want to hear, but I think there is a speck tighter bass playing Cecil, Mila, Niels/Sam https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_Spaces mila drumke, my funny valentine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukrNpHCDSjc double bass, niels and sam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jvz_hcTZ9k I listen to my AT more because it is on my long arm/fixed cartridge, and the talisman fits my removable headshell arm usually with my new AT Mono with advanced stylus on boron that Steve at VAS made me. Anyway, Sumiko, Talisman S: very highly recommended
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In my OP I said I wanted little surface noise. That does not imply my records are dirty. I have a VPI 16.5 RCM and all my records have been cleaned and put back in the jackets. I just don’t want a cartridge that emphasizes the surface noise and I want whatever cartridge I buy to sound fantastic with Rock music. There have been a lot of different cartridge recommendations but no one is telling me they will make my rock records sing. Does anyone have first hand experience in the cartridges recommended with rock music? |
I only discuss equipment I have had personal experience with. Goldring Eroica LX (low output MC) with Gyger II stylus: My friend owned one, was not set up for MC, so I mounted/played it here. Nice, but we both preferred my AT33PTG/II (what a stupid name). Recently he got setup for MC, played it thru his system. Nice, but he's going back to his Grace MM which sounded better to him. I hadn't heard the Grace recently, but when I set it up properly for him it sounded damnnnn good I remember. He knows what to do to align, but does not have the steadiness to do it himself. I still do, for how long?? |
OP "I listen to 95% 60’s, 70’s and 80’s Rock and want whatever cartridge I purchase to make the records sound good without excessive surface noise." Where are you getting the LP’s? I had a LOT of LP’s, bought in 60’s; 70’s, 80’s. Then along came CDs. LPs gathered dust, friends gave me their used LPs ... I had about 2500 lps, some new, then I inherited 4,000, mostly Jazz played once. When I started playing my old ones again, OMG, noisy, nearly unlistenable. I developed my manual scrub routine, and was/am very happily surprised, they play much much quieter than when dirty. Night and Day difference. You need to get aggressive with them, dirt has been pushed down into the grooves, and modern stylus get deeper in the grooves, digging junk out if you don’t get it out. I mean SCRUB!
What I mean to say, no new cartridge will make them as quiet as you hope, but aggressive cleaning will help a lot, with any cartridge. |
I have a Zu Denon DL103 that came with a turntable I bought. It sounded awful and I was going to throw it away, but decided to send it to Andy Kim to see if he could bring it back to life. Boy, did he ever! I have a Hana SL and it's a very nice cartridge, but the Zu has more detail and is more lively, if a little less "refined" than the Hana. The Hana is a fine cartridge and would be different, but to my ears, not "better". If you like a warmish to neutral sound and if the Zu is a bit too wild and wooly for you, the Hana might be a good choice. I suggest reaching out to Andy and see if there's a way to tailor the sound of the Zu more to your taste. That would be the best "bang for the buck" option in my opinion. |
crustycoot Does anyone have experience with buying a headshell with pre-aligned cartridge? ......................................... I could not ’trust’ a pre-alignment, I simply couldn’t do it. Not to mention, personally getting it ’right’ is part of the enjoyment every time you drop the needle. And, of course, the proliferation of TT with arms with fixed cartridges opens pandora’s box for so many. I vote for acquiring a few inexpensive tools and learning how to get it ’right’. Sets you up for the rest of your life. |
roadcyklerOP says using the ZU/Denon sparingly (for 13 years _____?) Using Dynavector for a couple of years. If OP is thinking about a new cartridge, I PRESUME he listens enough to ask for help. Thus I mentioned stylus life, OP knows the answer, not me. I gave the link for the whole article, and a blip of info Everything's relative, multiply them all by 4, the difference of +250 hrs becomes +1,000 hours. |
My feeling is that the best bang for the buck is a Denon 303, even if you pay to retip (301, 302, 304 likewise, or new 301 mkii). Bang for the buck, that is. I have two Grado Ref Sonata 1's, one with a micro re-tip...both sound very good, second best bang for the buck. I spent 3 months with a Nagaoka MP500, trying all sorts of things, and never liked it as much as either Grado--stock or retip. Could be my system (Denon 47F and Denon 60L). I thought my Stanton 881s, even with replaced stylus, sounded better. The other MM I also like better is a Grace F9e if you can find one reasonable, with soundsmith stylus....although slightly finicky for setup (much affected by proper VTA I thought). I was very surprised how good this sounded. The other bang for buck, mc-wise, other than Denon, may be a new Hana SL, on sale. I also use a Benz micro ruby HO (wood) in a different system and it is best of all, but pricey and but needs higher mass tonearm. I wouldn't worry about wood one way or another.
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The rest of the story you missed or forgot,
This is not to say that at 500 hrs a SAS stylus is "worn out" - but at that stage the wear has reached the point where distortion at 15kHz surpasses the level specified by Jico for a new stylus. (Which I believe is 3%). Some manufacturers have traditionally defined a stylus as being "worn out" when it starts to damage the record... in these terms the figures provided by Jico can at least be doubled, and in some cases quadrupled. |
I chose Audio Technica AT33PTG/II https://www.audio-technica.com/en-eu/at33ptg-ii Microlinear on Boron. wider 30db separation; tighter 0.5 channel balance. My experience: stiffer cantilever = better bass. Shure's Beryllium was stiffest, best bass I ever had, no longer made. Not big difference, but each small difference adds up. Note: Audio Technica has a trade in program for MC cartridges. I sent mine in, suspecting worn, yes, they sold me a new one for half price! |
If you listen some each week, I suspect you are wearing out your stylus before replacing it. IMO, no matter what cartridge you choose, you ought to get an advanced stylus shape. The ZU Denon is conical "0.2 mm square base diamond, crystal aligned, conical cut" Hana S series is Shibata, a great choice. https://www.sound-smith.com/articles/stylus-shape-information estimated longevity of various stylus shapes:
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I am a little nervous about a wood body. Does the Grado have threaded holes or do you need to use those impossibly tiny nuts? If it doesn't have threaded holes, it would be a non-starter for me. My hands are not as steady as they were just a few years ago and an accident most likely would happen. I wish I had kept my Shure V15 type 3 and my expensive Pickering and ADC cartridges from the 70's era. Everything sounded great with those MM cartridges. Fresh Air 2 sounded amazing back then. |
The Grado Sonata 3 is a MI and would be a good match with that Technics arm! BTW, if you don’t like it you can return it! https://gradolabs.com/cartridges/timbre-series/item/121-sonata3 |
